Animal toy



1945- H. w. BEAVER 2,382,537

' ANIMAL TOY Filed NOV. 12, 1943 INVENTOR Howard. W. Beaver 6+ yz/fw/ ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I ANIMAL TOY Howard William Beaver, Eagle Rock, Calif.

Application November 12, 1943, Serial No. 509,967 6 Claims (or 46-104) This invention relates to toys and deals particularly with an animal toy that is adapted to be pulled along the floor. 1

The hereinafter described toy has been made to simulate a dog. But it is to be understood that the novel feature embodied in this invention may be incorporated without modification on other toy animals besides the one illustrated, the only requirement being that the animal have a tail.

An object of the invention is to provide a tail wagging mechanism on toys of the character described which will be operated upon pulling the toy along the floor. Another object is to provide a toy animal mounted upon wheels wherein the rotation of a pair of wheels is utilized to wag the tail of the animal. A more specific object is to provide a toy of the character described wherein the tail wagging means comprises a pair of complementary opposed cam faces adapted to be rotated with the wheels of the toy to oscillate a pivotal member on the body of the toy which simulates the wagging tail of an animal. A further object is to provide a toy constructed of wood wherein the body and the wheels of the ,ure 2;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View taken on line 3--3 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a pair of wheels showing the cam arrangement; and

Figure 5 is a view of the cam element which is attached to the wheels.

Referring to the drawing it will be seen that my invention is embodied in a toy exemplified in this instance as a dog. As shown, the dogs body is divided into two portions l l and i2 which are cut from board lumber. The sections are hinged together in the central portion on a pivot [3. A pair of wheels l4 mounted on a shaft I5 is used to support the section II by passing the shaft l5 through a hole I6 in the section. The shaft [5 is held against longitudinal movement by pin members I1. The section H may also be provided with material l8, such as black oilcloth or the like, which may be cut to represent ears and suitably attached to the section by means of small tacks [9 or the like. The head of the dog may be provided with eyes 29, which may be thumb tacks or any equivalent member that may be mounted in the wood of the section, or the eyes may be glued on if desired. A string 2| may be attached in any suitable manner for pulling the toy.

The rear section wheels 22 and 23 attached to a shaft 24, the section l2 being provided with a hole25 for rotatably receiving the shaft. Mounted upon the wheels 22 and 23 are cams 26 and 2'l-respectively; It is to be understood that the wheels 22 and 23-are fixed on the shaft and that the cams 2B and 21 are fixed on the. wheels 22 and 23 so that the high points ofthe cams are substantially of rotation apart. 1 l

The preferred type of cam ..used is best illustarted in Figures 3, 4, and 5. Here itwill be observed that the cam member 28 mounted on the wheel 22 is a V-shaped member best seen in Figure 5. This member may be cut from wood or any other suitable material and may be attached to thewheel eitherby gluing or nailing. In Figure 4 it will be noted that while the cam member 26 is above theshaft, the cam member 21 is below the shaft, thus spacing the cams substantially 180 of rotation apart. The cam members 26 and 21 will be noted in Figure 2 to come substantially flush with the sides of the member 12. This provides against endwise movement of the shaft 24 in the member l2.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that the rear end of the section I2 is provided with a slot 28. Extending into the slot 28 is a member 29 which is for the purpose of simulating the tail of a dog. This member may be of plain board lumber or it may be of any suitable substance, such as plastic, etc. Thetail 29 is pivotally mounted in the slot 28 by means of a nail 30, or its equivalent, which may be driven through the section I2 and the member 29 at any suitable point, the only requirement being that a sufiicient length of the tail extend beyond the pivot into the slot 28 to provide a leverage for rocking the member 29 on its pivot 30.

At the lower part of the tail 29, I provide a pin which extends outwardly on both sides of the member itself, thus forming upstanding pins 30' and 3| on opposite sides of the member which are adapted to be engaged by the cams 2B and 21 respectively upon rotation of the wheels 22 and 23. As before stated, these cams are spaced substantially 180 apart and, as their sloping faces alternately hit the pins 30' and 3|, the member 29 is forced to oscillate upon the pivot point 30. The result is that the member 29 is moved from the full line to the dotted line posi- I2 is likewise carried on tion in Figure 2, which gives a simulation of a wagging tail.

A noteworthy feature of the construction is the fact that practically all parts of the toy are made from board lumber with few cuts. For instance, the wheels are cut from the same board lumber as the body members II and I2 and the pivot points are made by driving a. nail through both members at a suitable point. A toy of the above character lends itself remarkably well to low cost of manufacturing and provides an inexpensive, durable toy forth'e purpose'stiorth.

As the toy is pulled along the floor the wheels 22 and 23 are forced to rotate. The pins 30' and 3| will slidably engage the inside surface of the wheels and will trace a path shown by dotted line P. Since the cams 26 and?! are attached to the wheels they will alizrn stelyengage the pins 30' and 3| and force the tail 29 to roclr on its pivot, thus giving a simulation of a tail wagging dog.

I cle ni 1- In mamma t n 1 1sv d P rtion, a tail wagging mechanism consisting of a pair of wh els. pap dly. fixed on a shaft, means for roatably mounting S id Shait il Said. .93 5 ortio with the. body. por ion su stan ia y e me i e said wheels. said wheels each having an inwardly facing cam thereon extend n substantially to said dy'. a tail pivotally mounted on said body p tion, and means on aid tai fo en a ng said cams to oscillate said tail on i spiv when a d wheels are rotated...

2. In an animal toy. having a body, portion mounted on wheelswherein a pair of is is fixed to a shaft that rotates in the b96131 PQ TUQII, a tail waggin mechanism consistin of tail member pivotally mounted on. said body. n nwardly facing cam on each wheel of said pain of wheels adapted to slidably engage said body portion on opposite sides thereof, andmeans on said tail for engaging said cams, said cams being spaced with respect to rotation'to'. alternately engage said means to cause a rockinghmotion o'i-said tail'when'said wheels are rotated. 3." In an animal toy having a body portion mounted 'onwh'eels wherein a pair of wheels is one" against rotation withrespect to each other, a tailwaggingn echanism consisting oi a tail member pivotally mounted on said body, an inwardly facing cam on each wheel of said pair of wheels adapted to slidably engage said body portion on opposite sides thereof, and means on said tail for engaging said cams, said cams being spaced with respect to rotation to alternately engage said means to cause a rocking motion of said tail when said wheels are rotated.

4. In an animal toy having a, body portion mounted on wheels wherein a pair of wheels is fixed .to a shaft that rotates, in the body portion, a tail wagging mechanism consisting of a tail member pivotally mounted on said body, in-

v'vardly facing V-shaped blocks mounted on said wheels adapted to slidably engage said body porspaced with respect to rotation to alternately engage said means to cause a rocking motion of'said tail when said wheels are rotated.

5. In an animal toy hav n a body portion mounted on wheels'wherein a pair oi wheels is fixed to a shaft that rotates, in the body. portion. a tai wag ing mechanism consisting of a. tail member pivotally mounted on said body, a V- shaped blo k mounted on the. inner face of each o aidwhee s, the ap x of eacn of said V-shaped blocks being adapted to slidably engage the said body portion on opposite sides. thereof toiorm a stop against longitudinal movement of saidsha'ft in the body. portion, and means on said-tail for en a ing Said blocks, said blocks being spaced with respect to rotation to alternately engage said means to cause a rocking motion ofrsa tail when said wheels are rotated.

'6. In an animal toyhaving a body portion mounted on wheels wherein a pair ofwheels is fixed against rotation with respect to eachbther and said body portion has a slot therein, a tall extending into said slot and pivoted near the upper end of theslot, laterally extending memhers on the 'lower'end of said and? an inwardly facingcam on each of said wheels ar: ranged to slidably engage said bodyportion on op o ite sides thereof and to alter at ly. engage aid, extens ons and rock said tail on its pivot upon rotation of said wheels.

HOWARD WILLIAM BEAVER. 

